This is a terrible copy: Some n00b tried to make an NTSC DVD (60i) from a 24p source. Because this is so very, very difficult the result is an almost unwatchable stream full of blended fields that don’t fit together into frames, which makes your head spin.

The sound isn’t really better.

I didn't need English subs to enjoy this even though I don't understand Chinese. The action was
sufficient & I had a Chinese girlfriend.

Uruguay Round Agreements Act still protects works that were not released in the United States within 30 days after first non-US publication. This film qualifies as copyrighted.

This story got to me after downloading it and the subtitles. I've been in a very similar situation before long ago, but the story is basic.
The young couple’s marriage is falling apart because of her husbands illness and they rarely speak. Their home has been bombed out a few years prior in the war and the husband feels he's been a failure after losing so much and then an old friend of both comes for a visit and it turns out that the wife was once the friends lover and is still in love so she has to decide which man she will stay with. This movie might just have you in tears if you're the sentimental fool I am.
There is no political message here, but the deep rooted Chinese customs of loyalty and faithfulness are part of it's message.
Without the subtitles it's probably going to be of no interest to you, but if you have VLC installed it will read the subtitles very well.
You can download VLC free and it is cross platform so it will work with almost any operating system. http://www.videolan.org/vlc/
Just make sure your subtitles and movie files have the exact same file name by renaming one or both and place both in the same file folder.

An extremely minimalistic love story. I was slightly reminded of Yasujiro Ozu's films, but really this movie is its own thing, there's no good comparison to be made, and that includes any comparison to other Chinese movies of the era. There seems to be allusions to China's post-war prospects, but they're vague, and really the melodrama and the music are at the center of the film.

I don't think this movie is for everyone, although I loved it. But those with any interest at all in art movies should give it a watch.

English subtitles file can be found here:
http://www.opensubtitles.com/en/subtitles/217472/xiao-cheng-zhi-chun-en

i've seen the remake a few years ago, it's also good but lack the charm of the original. You need to understand chinese because there is a voice over telling us this simple but beautiful story.